Dare I Ask?
by Calasstria
Summary: Sometimes it's better not to ask.


**Author's Note:** Second fic posted. Hope you enjoy! Please review and let me know if it needs to be improved!

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**Dare I Ask?**

Lenalee made it her business to investigate the issues plaguing her boys. It wasn't because she was nosy, but rather she knew what matters she needed to step in and help with and which ones were best left for each exorcist to handle in private.

Allen was the easiest to read, most days, and therefore the easiest to pry information from. He had a hard time being dishonest with certain people. Lenalee was one of them, and the girl used it to her advantage. It never took much, just a sharp smack on the head and a few tears, and Allen was an open book. Though these days, with the threat of the 14th invading the boy's body and mind, the Chinese girl felt it wasn't necessary to pry, but to be the shoulder he could lean on instead.

Kanda was the most reserved human being she knew. Most people avoided asking him any questions, let alone questions concerning his personal life, but their friendship was close enough to allow her into the hidden secretes of the samurai's mind. Rarely would he choose to tell her anything, and there were many aspects of his life that remained a mystery to the girl at present. Still, there were moments when even he needed to let go and explain himself, and his trust was something Lenalee treasured the most in their friendship.

The one Lenalee had the most trouble with was Lavi. The Junior Bookman was the group's greatest enigma, a puzzle with so many pieces to fill, yet scattered about and cut into impossible angles so that it was never to be solved. Often she could never tell when if he were being truly honest with her or if he was simply deflecting unwanted attention on himself with dashing smiles and flirtatious remarks. When she did get a serious response from Lavi, he'd never looked her in the eye. That was one of many quirks the redhead had, making him appear to her more distant and guarded then Kanda.

This time, however, all three of them seemed to be hiding something from her. A few knowing glances from Allen to Lavi, a subtle grunt acknowledging a secret code with Lavi and Kanda, and an odd unspoken cease fire between Kanda and Allen were more then a little suspicious to her. They were up to something. Of that she was certain. Whatever it was, it must have been big for no amount of threats she'd thrown at the youngest and oldest of the boys had ever brought them to a truce.

She decided to leave it be for now. But the little voice in her mind kept her wondering, _Should I ask them?_

Turned out she didn't even need to lock them up individually for an interrogation. The answer came to her when she walked in on the trio hastily trying to cover something behind their backs.

She stared at them. They stared back, Allen's face growing pale, Kanda pointedly looking at the floor, and Lavi grinning in the most unconvincing manner imaginable. She blinked, noticing that her favorite formal dress, the _only_ formal dress she had, was covered in paint. Slowly her shock melted into a scowl as she asked, "Do I even want to know?"

The false grin on Lavi's face only grew, sweat forming on his brow, "Well, it's kind of a long story, but Yuu here-"

"So you're going to blame _me_ for this mess, baka Usagi?" Kanda growled. "I recall a certain _Moyashi_-"

"It's Allen, _Bakanda_," the smaller boy hissed. "And don't try to pin it on me when it was you and Lavi that knocked over that ladder in the first pla-"

"And it was you that left the dress _under_ said ladder, bean sprout," Lavi cut in. "Even though I warned ya to mind the paint-"

"So in other words," the three froze at the steely tone of Lenalee's voice. "All three of you ruined my gown and took it upon yourselves to try and cover it up before I found out?"

Allen looked uncomfortable, "W-well, we were going try and fix it but-"

"You caught us," Lavi tried to laugh, but the sudden smile the female exorcist was now sending them made the hair on the back of his neck stand. "So uh, how much do we owe ya for the dress?"

Lenalee's smile was far too sweet when she replied, "Oh, you don't owe me a thing. It was a gift from someone else we know, and a very pricey gift at that, so you might want to take it up with him."

Allen had a very nasty feeling he wasn't going to like the answer, "Dare I ask… who he is?"

The smile suddenly turned sinister, "You might want to ask Nii-san."


End file.
